“OLD SOUL RED”
Saracina
APPELLATION
Mendocino County
GRAPE VARIETIES
43% Zinfandel, 31% Malbec, 26% Petite Sirah
WINEMAKERS
Alex MacGregor
TECHNICAL DATA
Acidity
3.72
Alcohol
14.7%
91POINTS
90POINTS
Saracina is located along the Upper Russian River in northern California’s wine country. The 400-acre ranch which includes a winery and sustainably farmed vineyards, is also home to a 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, and local birds and wildlife. The handcrafted, limited production Saracina wines reflect a conscious sense of this beautiful place in Mendocino County. Founded by husband and wife team John Fetzer and Patty Rock in 2001, Saracina has always been defined by a strong sense of family. In 2018, Marc Taub took on stewardship of Saracina, upholding the spirit of family ownership that has defined this iconic Mendocino County winery since inception.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTESOld Soul Red by Saracina is a nod to Mendocino County’s adventurous history of exploration and discovery.
The Zinfandel comes from two vineyard sites. The Chapman vineyard is certified organic, with head-pruned vines that sit on an alluvial bench in Redwood Valley. The Sawyer vineyard sits at 1000’ feet elevation overlooking Lake Mendocino planted with head-pruned vines with St. George rootstock.
The Malbec is from Saracina estate vineyard which are marked by black clay and gravelly soils at the base of the foothills. The Petite Sirah is from both Saracina’s steep hillside vineyards and the Niemi vineyard with 20 year-old vines, originally planted without irrigation and dry-farmed for 15 years. The Malbec was harvested on September 24th, Zinfandel on September 25th, and Petite Sirah on October 16th.
WINEMAKINGThe grapes were picked at full maturity, de-stemmed and gently transferred into fermenters with 50% whole berries. They soaked at a cool temperature for four to seven days, at which point native yeast fermentation began in both open and closed top fermenters. The free run juice was aged in 10% new thin-stave French oak and four year seasoned American oak for 18 months, which included native malolactic fermentation. The wine was bottled on June 26, 2020.
TASTING NOTESThe wine is savory, rich, and dense with ripe tannins that wrap around a core of fruit leading to a long, juicy finish.
RESOURCES
Saracina Portfolio
